


An Engaging Confession

by SunsetNCamden



Series: An Engaging Series [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien gave up his ring, Chloe and Adrien are siblings, Don't know each other's identities, F/M, Marinette and Adrien dated before Hawk Moth Capture, Marinette is still LB, Mayor Bourgeois adopts Adrien, Post-Hawk Moth Capture, Season 2 spoiler for Hawk Moth identity, Suicide Attempt, not that graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 15:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14771951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetNCamden/pseuds/SunsetNCamden
Summary: It's the night of Marinette and Luka's engagement party, but it all goes to hell when Marinette finds out that 1. Adrien has quit the rock band he's apart of with Luka, Juleka, Rose, and Alix, and 2. that all of the songs Adrien wrote on the last album were about her (btw they're all love songs!). The party breaks up when Marinette gives Luka the engagement ring and leaves to see Adrien.Part 4 takes place after Parts 1 and 2. It's the Adrientte conversation that you've been asking for...





	An Engaging Confession

**Author's Note:**

> In a post-Hawk Moth reveal and capture, I imagine Adrien as more Chat-like even though he has given up his ring. He is finally more comfortable showing who he really is around people, especially Marinette. She banters back and it makes him feel okay about teasing, punning, etc. Marinette is also more confident than her teenage self that we see in the show. She’s finally comfortable around Adrien, so no stuttering or babbling.

Marinette raced down the steps of her apartment building, out of the front door, and across the street. She ducked into an alleyway that she had used countless times to transform. Opening her purse, Tikki, her kwami, flew out. Having no time for explanations, she said the magic words that transformed her from an ordinary woman into the superhero, Ladybug. With a flick of her wrist, she extended her yo-yo, hooking it onto the roof eaves of a nearby building. She yanked back on the string, then felt the familiar pull as it zipped her up onto the rooftops of Paris.

As she raced toward Adrien her mind replayed the fight with Luka.

“Marinette, I’m asking you to start a life with me,” Luka pleaded. “I’m your future. Adrien’s your past. Forget about him.”

“I can’t,” she replied. It’s not like she hadn’t tried. But the simple fact was, “I don’t want to.” She needed Adrien in her life. She needed to see his smile, hear his laugh. She needed his arms around her when she was sad. She needed to be his shoulder to cry on, to support him.

She slipped the engagement ring off of her finger and placed it in his hand saying, “I’m sorry Luka.”

In reality, the engagement ring probably only weighed a few ounces, but now that it was off, Marinette felt lighter, freer, and more at ease. She didn’t want to hurt Luka, but in her heart, she knew she couldn’t go on. Alya had been warning her that eventually, it would come to this: a choice between Luka and Adrien. Now she had made that choice; for better or for worse, she had at least decided.

“You’re making a mistake. He’s made it perfectly clear he doesn’t want you. He’s not asking for your help or your love!” the rejected fiancee argued.

“His songs say otherwise,” came her clipped reply. Nathaniel’s unintentional revelation that all of Adrien’s songs from the band’s last album were about her made Marinette question the nature of his feelings for her considering that they were all love songs.

“You’re still chasing him after all of these years. It’s pathetic! _You’re_ pathetic!” This wasn’t the first time Luka had put her down, had made her feel stupid for how she felt. It would be the last time. She had listened to him for too long. No more.

“ _Adrien would never say something like that to me_ ,” she thought, comparing her ex-fiance to her former boyfriend. “ _No one should say that. I deserve better._ ”

“Luka, fuck off!”

Suddenly the door opened, and Marinette pushed through the crowd down the hall. Nathaniel stepped aside as best he could to let her pass. Her face felt hot and her stomach clenched into knots, urging her to hurry, hurry to Adrien. Something must be wrong for him to not only miss the party but also to quit the band.

“Marinette, where are you going?” Alya called after her.

“To see Adrien. I’m so sorry to do this guys, but I have to make sure he’s okay.” With a wave goodbye to her friends who had come to support her engagement only to see it fall apart, she hurried off to find the one person who she needed the most and who she had no doubt needed her right now. She had made the mistake of not going to see him once when she knew she should have gone. She would not make that mistake again.

It might have been about four and a half years ago. Marinette didn’t like to think about that day; but the memory lived in startling clarity in her mind. She had come home to the little apartment that she shared with her roommate at university after working late on a design project. About half an hour later, Luka showed up after finishing a gig with a band that he started shortly after quitting the one with Adrien and Juleka. He had brought burgers and pomme frites from the pub where he played. As they ate, Marinette jabbered on about her project and Luka nodded; he never was one much for talking. About halfway through their meal, he kissed her, passionately and longingly. It felt good to be wanted, desired. Their make-out session had only just begun when a ding on her phone indicated that she had received a text message. At the time, it was blissfully ignored, but in hindsight, she wished she had read it right then and there.

About an hour later when she and Luka had come up for air, she did read it. Two words from Adrien: “I’m sorry.” Marinette frowned as she looked at the display. She hadn’t talked to Adrien in almost a week. They had met for coffee to catch up now that he was back from his tour and to try being friends despite having broken up several months ago. It felt awkward being in his presence once more. There was a strange vibe between them. They knew each other so well, but couldn’t express it in the way that they previously had been able to do. Marinette hoped that with time, the awkwardness between them would lessen and they could be good friends again. She continued to ponder that text message. There was nothing for Adrien to apologize for. Their break-up had long been settled and he hadn’t done or said anything that he shouldn’t have at the cafe. She texted back saying so and waited for his reply. She did everything she could to delay going to bed: wash the dishes, lay out clothes for the next morning, pack her lunch, clean the apartment, etc. All the while, she kept checking her phone to see if he had responded to her text message. Luka watched her, bemused at first; but the longer she kept it up, the more agitated and frustrated he seemed to get.

“Come to bed, Marinette,” Luka had said. “Enough already!”

“I don’t think I can sleep until I hear from him,” she had replied, picking her phone again. “I’m calling him. Something is wrong.”

Luka put his hand on hers that held the phone. “You’re being paranoid. It’s late...or actually, it’s early. I dunno. I’m tired. You’re tired. Adrien’s probably the only one getting any sleep. You can talk to him in the morning if you must, but please go to bed.” He led her to the bed and made her get in. After a few moments, she could hear the slow, steady breathing of her boyfriend beside her. As she lay, staring at the ceiling, she knew in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong with Adrien. He had seemed off when they met for coffee. She had chalked it up to being nervous about seeing her. But now she wasn’t so sure. Out of loyalty to Luka, she laid there, but out of loyalty to Adrien, she didn’t sleep.

The first thing the next morning, she called Adrien without success. Next, she called Juleka to see if he had gone to band practice the evening before. He had not, but Juleka was not too surprised seeing as how the record company that was interested in signing their band had suddenly dropped all contact with them, citing Adrien’s, or rather his father’s, troubling past. Adrien had offered to quit the band so that they could get their record contract, but Juleka had flatly refused. It would just take some more time, but she felt sure that the record companies would come around. The band had a devoted following. She felt sure it wouldn’t be long. That was three days ago. Adrien hadn’t been to band practice since then. Juleka said she was going to give him a week and then she’d “haul his ass back to practice herself, or if not then have Alix do it.” All of this was news to Marinette and she wondered how Adrien was handling it.

Marinette called Nino next, but he hadn’t talked to Adrien in over a week. Nino said that his classes at university were keeping him too busy to see him every day. He confirmed that it was the same with Alya and Kim. The start of the school year and work left little time to meet up with Adrien, who was neither in school nor working. Besides them, Adrien only had his bandmates and his sister. The rest of his so-called friends had dropped him the minute his father had been arrested. But Nino said that he knew Adrien was really busy too with band practices and gigs. Marinette realized with a sinking feeling that Nino also didn’t know about the latest developments with the band. Nino added that he had tried to call Adrien yesterday evening after hearing the news report about his father’s trial, but hadn’t reached him. Marinette gulped. She hadn’t seen the news yesterday or been on social media since she was so fixated on finishing her project. What had she missed?

“Oh man! You don’t know? A hung jury, man! Can you believe some of them jurors actually fell for ol’ Gabe’s sob story? Adrien’s gonna have to live through _another_ Trial of the Century, although maybe he’ll leave the country again like last time. ‘Cept of course, he’ll have to be here for some of it to testify again...Marinette?”

Marinette had no words, but obviously, she had been right. Adrien was definitely not okay. She left the apartment without so much as a goodbye to Luka or her roommate, transformed to get to Le Grand Paris hotel quickly, and then de-transformed so as not to bring back any bad memories for Adrien. Afterall, it was Ladybug along with Chat Noir who caught Hawk Moth and revealed him to the world as Gabriel Agreste. Perhaps due to her Ladybug good luck, Marinette ran into Chloe as she stepped off the elevator and the blonde was about to step on. Chloe had knocked on Adrien’s door this morning, but he hadn’t responded. She was worried about him as well, but when she talked to him yesterday evening he said he needed to be alone to process the news about his father. The frantic, beseeching of Marinette to open his door surprised Chloe, maybe even frightened her, but the new manager of the hotel did so anyway.

“Adrien’s going to hate this, Marinette,” Chloe said as she used her manager key card to open his door. “He’s super private, seriously. I’m going to tell him it’s your fault.”

“Fine, fine,” Marinette acknowledged as she stepped inside the suite. She called out to him as did Chloe, but there was no answer. Marinette ran toward the bedroom as Chloe went the opposite way to the kitchenette.

“Oh God!” she cried, finding him. “CHLOE! Call an ambulance!” Marinette hurried over to Adrien’s body, sprawled on the bathroom floor. She cradled his head and lifted it onto her lap. She called his name over and over, but he wouldn’t answer or open his eyes. Chloe came in and then screamed at the sight of him. With a shaky voice, she placed the call for help, while Marinette kept trying to wake him. His breathing was painfully slow. He looked terribly pale. An empty bottle of sleeping pills laid beside him.

“He’s lucky,” the emergency doctor had said. “He didn’t mix the pills with any alcohol or other drugs, otherwise…” Marinette didn’t like to think about what the doctor would have said next. The point was he wasn’t dead. He needed help. She would help him. Gratefully, she was not alone in this. Chloe, Nino, and Juleka all pitched in.

“We’ll be like the Fellowship of the Rings,” Nino had said regarding their protective role.

“Wouldn’t that make Adrien the ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’?” Juleka asked. “In which case, we would have to destroy Adrien in a fiery, volcano.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Nino tried to explain. “Okay, how about this? We’ll be the Justice League…”

“This is so stupid,” Chloe moaned, holding her head in her hands.

“I don’t like DC comics,” Juleka noted. “I’d rather be the Avengers.”

“Look: we’ll just _be_ , okay? We’ll be there for Adrien and we’ll be there for each other. We don’t need a name, seriously,” Chloe rolled her eyes. Marinette laughed and then she caught herself, feeling guilty to have done so.

“You’re not hurting Adrien by laughing,” Chloe advised, catching on to Marinette’s sudden change in demeanor. “If anything, we’re all going to need some laughs to get through this, especially Adrien.”

Ladybug nodded to herself. Chloe had been right. Laughter had helped them get through that awful time, a time that she desperately hoped they were not about to repeat. For now, she set aside her memories to focus on the present as she landed on the rooftop across from Adrien’s sound studio. The lights were on by the front door as per usual. The sound of an engine starting interrupted the quiet of the street below. The headlights of a silver town car that was double parked lit up and a moment later the car headed down the street and then turned left. She recognized that car. It was Chloe’s. That gave her some comfort. At least someone had been with Adrien. Hopefully, that meant he was okay, that he hadn’t been given the chance for another suicide attempt. As mad as she was at Chloe for sleeping with Luka, she had to admit the blonde heiress had been a staunch ally in protecting Adrien. The two women not only supported him, but also each other. She had keenly missed her friendship in the two months since discovering her one night of indiscretion with her now former fiancee.

Ladybug shook her head. She’d think about Chloe later. Now, she had to focus on Adrien, who was alone now after Chloe’s departure. The superhero dropped down to the alley below and de-transformed. The heels of her boots clacked loudly as she ran across the street and up the steps to the front door of the studio. She pressed the buzzer on the call box. After a moment, a familiar voice came over the speaker.

“Name and business?”

“It’s Marinette, Thomas. I’m here to see M. Agreste.”

“Of course, mademoiselle!” he replied cheerfully. A second later, the door buzzed and she turned the handle and entered. At the desk sat Thomas, the night guard, who Marinette had befriended during her many visits to the studio to see Adrien and Luka. The door shut behind her with a click.

“Everything alright, Thomas? Nothing unusual happened tonight?” she asked, concerned for her friend... well maybe more than a friend.

“Only if you call a visit from Mademoiselle Bourgeois unusual,” he replied with a chuckle. “You just missed her.”

“Too bad,” Marinette deadpanned. “Where is he?” she asked as she hurried down the hall.

“Booth 2,” Thomas replied.

She thanked him with a wave and then took a breath before opening the door to the recording booth.

_Whoosh._

Marinette stepped inside and could see a blonde tuft of hair over the edge of the studio piano. She stepped around to see _him_ , Adrien, alive and well, hunched over his instrument, eyes glued to the sheet music before him, a pencil between his teeth. She exhaled in relief, feeling the nervous tension between her shoulder blades relax.

“You forget something?” he asked nonchalantly, not looking up.

“I’ve been trying to forget you, but I can’t seem to,” she admitted and then bit her lip, nervously waiting for his reply. Was that too honest a statement to make? To aggressive? She didn’t care. A moment ago she thought she had lost him again. She would not let this opportunity to be with him slip through her fingers.

He looked up with wide eyes. The pencil fell from his mouth.

“Marinette?”

She blushed as he stared at her, taking in her unexpected presence.

“Wh-what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the party?” he stammered.

Not exactly the response she was looking for, but she could play it to her advantage. He looked like a child who had been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

”Shouldn’t you be there, too?” Marinette asked crossing her arms in front of her.

“I meant to...I, um...” he stood up, but only partially so he could see the top of the piano and reach for his phone. He winced as he looked at the black screen and then pushed the button to turn it on.

“Turned off your phone? Lost track of time?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Sorry?” he replied sheepishly. He set the phone back on top of the piano as he waited for it to cycle through its startup. “Let’s go,” he said as he hurriedly began to gather up his sheet music. “I can drive us back.”

“There’s no need,” she replied, dropping her arms. “The party’s over.”

“Oh! Is it that late?” he asked with surprise as he slumped back onto his seat at the piano bench.

“No, not really,” she hummed as she crossed the room and walked around the piano. “What are you working on?”

“Nothing!” he clutched the sheet music to his chest. “You know, just a song…” he chuckled, nervously.

“Must be important to keep you from your _best friend’s_ engagement party…”

“I am so, _so_ sorry, Marinette. I really didn’t mean to miss it. I bought you a present and everything,” he moved to retrieve the wrapped package by the door, but she stepped in front of him to block his path.

“Never mind about that.” She wouldn’t be opening it anyway now that there was no occasion for it. “I want to hear this very important song, so important you couldn’t put off writing it until tomorrow.” She playfully pushed him with one finger back to the piano bench.

“It’s not done yet. Besides it’s not _that_ important,” he waved a hand in the air, dismissively.

“That’s not terribly flattering…”

“I’m sorry, I, uh, didn’t mean it like that. You know how I am when I write,” he tried to explain, nervously rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

Marinette flung one bent arm to her forehead, while her eyes fluttered shut and her other hand violently grabbed her heart. “I have such feels that I have to write a song about them or I’ll burst!” she moaned dramatically. Then, she suddenly dropped her arms as her eyes popped open. She giggled, “Yes, I know _all_ about how you are when you write!”

“Excuse me, mademoiselle? Have you been laughing at me _behind_ my back?”

“Behind, in front of, beside, whatever position we happen to be in at the time.” Marinette bit her lip and then swatted at Adrien for the smirk he was now giving her. “You know what I mean!”

“Do I?” he asked innocently. “Sounds like you were prop- _position_ -ing me…” Preoccupied with teasing her, he forgot about protecting the sheet music and his hands allowed it to settle on his lap.

“Nevermind that!” she replied, dismissively as she sat beside him on the piano bench, trying to get a better look at the song. “I just mean that when you’re in a songwriting mood then God forbid anyone should try to separate you from your precious piano.”  

“Are you trying to say that I have an unhealthy attachment to my instrument?” He lovingly stroked the keys of the piano and then bent over to give it a hug, resting his head on the music stand and stretching his long arms across the front, his fingertips just barely wrapping around the sides. His new position made it impossible for her to see what was written on the sheet music.

“You! _Never!_ ” she replied unconvincingly. “Although I remember spewing a series of threats to get you away from it so that we wouldn’t be late for Jules and Rose’s wedding.”

“Ah! Yes, the ‘I will eat your slice of wedding cake and have Alya beat you up if you don’t get up now’ threat,” he chuckled as he straightened to sit upright, the sheet music now coming back into view. “Only the lack of fondant and the fear of being bludgeoned by a high heel would ever make me part with you, my darling,” he whispered into the wooden face of the piano.

“Dork!” Marinette shook her head as she laughed. “It was a good song, though.” Her eyes lingered over the pages in his lap. She could just make out the first few words.

 

> _“_ _I heard, that you're settled down…”_

“Thank you.”

“Did you really write it with them in mind?”

“Of course! It’d be rather rude to be thinking of a different couple while writing a song for their wedding, don’t you think?”

Marinette nodded and then tilted her head to get a better view of the next line written on the sheet music as she asked, “Are all of your songs about people you know?”

 

> _“That you found a [boy] and you're, married now”_

Adrien considered her question and nodded.

“Ever write one about me?”

Adrien audibly gulped. His hands instinctively brought the sheet music back up to his chest and then he replied, “You didn’t tell me about the party! How was it?”

“It was quite a scene! You really missed out. It might’ve given you fodder for another song,” she teased, noting that he didn’t answer her question. “Considering you missed my party in favor of writing this song, I think I deserve a look at it.” She made a grab for the sheet music, but he pulled it away and held it at arm’s length out of her reach.

“Fine you can have a look,” he said as he flashed her both a smile and the sheet music in front of her eyes before quickly taking it away. “There now. You’ve had your look. Not that looking at sheet music would do you much good anyway.”

“Excuse me, monsieur? Do my ears deceive me? ” she asked echoing his words from a moment ago. “Are you saying that I’m illiterate?” Her hands landed on her hips in mock offense.

“When it comes to reading music, yes! And, I’ll prove it!” He found his dropped pencil on the ground and wrote a few notes on a fresh piece of sheet music. “What does this say?”

Marinette narrowed her eyes, hoping it would help her to discern the little black notes on the page. “Dum, dum, dum-de-dum?”

“Nope,” he grinned.

“Well, I can read the lyrics at least.” She held out her hand expectantly.

“Told you, not done,” he replied stubbornly.

“I let you see my design sketches. What’s the difference?”

He shrugged, “Not like I have much choice.” Taking on a very distinctive high-pitched voice he said, “Adrien, what do you think of this dress? Are the lines bold enough? Adrien, do you think this blouse would look better in silk or charmeuse? Adrien…”

“Forgive me for valuing your opinion!” she cried in mock anger.

As he giggled gleefully, Marinette seized her chance. She defiantly grabbed for the sheet music, her fingers just brushing the page before he pulled it away again. The force of her movement pushed her into his personal space and Marinette, out of her magical superhero suit, was never graceful. As such, her chest landed solidly on his own and out of surprise he pulled back. The lack of support that she suddenly felt made her drop even further against him, pushing him almost to the point of tumbling over; but his free hand caught the piano with a loud clang as his fingers desperately fumbled for a handhold on the keys. The result: nose to nose they met as Adrien lay almost horizontal with one hand on the piano maintaining their precarious balance and the other splayed out in the opposite direction holding the precious sheet music aloft with Marinette pressing insistently on top of him. For a moment they locked eyes. She could feel the heat from his body beneath her and his breath on her neck. Her eyes flicked to his lips and she noted that he subconsciously licked his. She tilted her head as her eyes fluttered shut, but a loud clearing of his throat snapped her eyes back open.

“Told you, my song’s not done. It’s still an awkward comp- _position,_ ” he chuckled as he struggled to sit up despite the girl sprawling on top of him.

“I’ll have to add ‘astride’ to our list of positions,” she smirked, but still did not move.

He guffawed, but whether it was out of amusement or embarrassment Marinette could not tell. His face was terribly red. She felt a thrill that she was the cause.

“Aren’t you going to get up?” he asked, pleadingly.

“I’m awfully comfortable…” she whispered in his ear. He let out a strained moan in response and that’s when she made another attempt to snatch the music, but this time she only succeeded in knocking them both off the bench.

“OW!” Adrien yelped as he took the brunt of the fall to his back and shoulders. “What is with you tonight, Marinette?” he cried in frustration. He pushed her off of him, untangling their arms and legs, before jumping to his feet.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she sat back on her haunches, watching him retrieve the scattered sheet music from the floor. Her heart pounded in her chest as she longed to be in his arms again. She hated the tone in his voice, pushing them apart.

“Can you image what Luka would have said if he had walked in just now?” he asked with a mixture of agitation and guilt. Her cell phone began to ring. “Ah-ha! That’s probably him now, wondering why you’re not with him celebrating your engagement.”

Marinette pulled her cell phone out of her purse and looked at the display. Adrien was right, Luka was calling. She pushed the button to ignore the call, then set the phone to silent mode and placed it back in her purse.

“Why didn’t you pick up?” he asked, still a bit shaken from their fall.

“Wrong number,” she replied with a small smile. “And I told you, the party’s over.”

“Well, I still think you should get home. I’ll call you a cab.” He walked over to the piano, making sure to keep a safe distance from her, she noted, and picked up his phone as he set down the sheet music.

“No, don’t do that,” she replied, standing and then smoothing her hair. She had no intention of going anywhere, not until she got the answers she needed. “Put down the phone, Adrien, please. I said I was sorry.”

Adrien didn’t answer. His thumb swiped upwards on the screen then looked up at Marinette with a horrified expression.

“You gave Luka back your engagement ring?”

Uh-oh. Nino must’ve texted Adrien what happened at the party.

“Marinette!?!”

“Well, yes, I did,” she said as she looked him in the eye. “You see—” But, she didn’t finish her sentence as she suddenly felt two arms envelope her in a warm, strong hug.

“I am so sorry, Marinette,” he whispered into her hair. “I shouldn't have yelled at you. No wonder you’re acting strangely. I’m just so sorry for… everything.”

“It’s not your fault,” she replied reflexively.

“I think we both know that’s not true,” he pulled back to look at her. “You shouldn’t have insisted on seeing me. I’m okay, really.”

Marinette inwardly groaned. Nino must have told him the cause of the break-up, too.

“I didn’t know for sure. You turned your phone off. You’re not supposed to do that,” she scolded. “I had to be sure you were okay,” she rested her head back on his chest and tightened her grip. He held her for a few moments. She breathed in his scent, warm and familiar. It felt good to be in his arms again.

“You have to let me go,” he said quietly.

“Another minute. You give the best hugs,” she sighed.

“No,” he said letting go of her instead. “You know what I mean. You can’t keep doing this, Marinette, and expect that Luka will tolerate it.”

“Luka and I are done.”

“Fine, but what about the next guy?” He crossed the room and sat down on the couch, putting space between them. “You think he’s going to understand any better when at a moment’s notice you drop everything to go check on your ex?”

“You’re my best friend, who just also happens to be my ex,” she replied as she walked over toward him.

“Then as your best friend, I’m telling you: you have to stop seeing your ex.”

“What are you saying? You don’t want to be friends with me anymore?” She leaned over putting her face close to his.

“No, of course not!” He jumped up quickly from the couch and strode over to the piano. “But, this isn’t healthy… for either of us.”

“Adrien…” she turned to follow him.

“It’s not! I don’t want to be the cause of you breaking up with Luka.” He ran a hand through his hair as he circled the piano, placing it between them. “I wasn’t going to tell you this until I had things finalized, but I’m leaving Paris.”

“Wh-what?” She froze mid-step.

“I’m leaving Paris. Soon. It’ll be a fresh start… for both of us. You won’t have to worry about me. I’m going to be okay.”

“What about me? Maybe I’m not going to be okay without you!”

“You? You’ll be fine! You’re the strongest person I know. Besides, I only bring you trouble. I only weigh—”

“Me down? Bring me bad luck? That’s what you said to me when we broke up!” Her hands landed on her hips.

“Well… it was true then and it’s true now.”

“Bullshit.”

“What?”

“Complete, utter bullshit!” She strode right at him, wagging her finger. “You can’t keep deciding what’s best for me. I won’t let you do it again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re leaving Paris because you think it’s what _I_ need! Just like when you broke up with me!” She continued toward him, getting closer and closer, invading his space.

“Marinette…” He backed up, trying to escape.

“I know you don’t want to leave Paris, just like I know you don’t want to leave your band! You love that band, Adrien!” She was practically right on top of him again.

“I do, but…” His back hit the wall, nowhere to go, _trapped_.

“Then why are you leaving?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “And, I know that you didn’t want to break up because… because you love me!” she blurted. “You loved me then and you _still_ love me now!”

Adrien didn’t say anything. He just stood there. His mouth moved but no words came out.

“I can prove it!” She spun and made a dash for the piano. Adrien realized her objective, but too late. She had the sheet music in her hand. She held it up high, triumphant.

“Marinette,” he growled a warning, “you give that back.”

“No!” she taunted like a three-year-old. “It’s mine! You wrote it for me!”

“No,” the songwriter corrected, “I wrote it for _me_. The only songs that I’ve written for someone else I’ve dedicated to them.” He slowly inched toward her. “One for my mother and one for Juleka and Rose. All the rest are for me.” Songwriting had become a way of expressing himself when words were too difficult. He could exorcise his demons in a healthy way, instead of the destructive way he had previously chosen.

“Now, give me back my song!” he demanded.

“Well, if it’s not _for_ me, then it’s _about_ me, so I deserve to read it,” she replied slowly inching away from him, matching his movements with her own. She carefully stepped over the cords to the amplifiers.

“What makes you so sure it’s about you?” he asked, taking larger steps toward her.

“I know all of your songs on your last album were about me,” she replied, brushing past a mic stand that wobbled slightly.

He froze mid-step, “Where’d you get that idea?”

“Nathaniel,” she replied with a bright smile.

“Nathaniel gets things wrong,” he argued, resuming his slow stalk of her.

“No, he gets things right. He’s just wrong about _when_ he says things. Plus, I have a feeling his source is very close to the songwriter, so I believe him.”

“If you mean Chloe, then you should know she always exaggerates,” he noted. He kept following her even as she tried to side-step away from the ever approaching wall. He looked like a cat about to pounce on a mouse.

“Maybe so, but even if just _one_ of those seven songs is about me, then it proves my poi—” She leaped up onto the couch as Adrien dove to grab either her or the sheet music, she wasn’t sure which and it didn’t matter. She had to get away. She jumped off of the couch and ran to the other side of the room, putting the piano between herself and him.

 

> “I heard, that you're settled down
> 
> That you found a [boy] and you're, married now”

She quoted out loud. He made another grab for the music, but she pivoted and dashed across to the couch again. She continued reading aloud:

 

> “I heard, that your dreams came true
> 
> I guess [he] gave you things
> 
> I didn't give to you”

She looked up at him, beaming. “You’re still in love with me,” the thief panted. “Admit it!”

He only growled again in frustration as he chased her back across the room and then around the piano. She laughed and then squealed as he nearly caught her by the hem of the jacket, but it slipped through his fingers.

“Marinette! You’re acting like a child!”

“No! You are!” she taunted and then cheekily stuck her tongue out at him as she shook the sheet music at him. “What are you afraid of? That I won’t like it?”

“This isn’t funny! Give me that music sheet!” Adrien made another dive for it, and this time caught her by the wrist. Marinette spun around to face him. She meant to twist out of his grip and escape again, but instead, she twisted into it, drawing herself up against his chest and wrapping her free arm around his neck. He had caught her and she didn’t want to run. This was where she wanted to be, where she belonged.

“I know you love me,” she whispered. She moved closer, popping up on her tiptoes and pulling on his neck to bring him to her lips. “Please, Adrien..”

“No!” he pushed her away, not hard, but firmly.

“A-Adrien…”

“No,” he repeated.

“But, but the song…” she held the music in her shaking hand.

“It’s just a song, Marinette,” he sighed. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Don’t say that! It’s not true!” she yelled. “Your songs mean everything!” She looked at the sheet music, trying to read the rest of lyrics, but the tears forming in her eyes made it impossible to see the words clearly. She looked up at him baffled, “I...I don’t understand!”

Adrien walked over to the piano and retrieved his phone. “I’ll call you a cab.”

“No, No, NO! I want you to explain it to me,” Marinette demanded, following him.. “Explain to me how you can write all these songs, professing your love for me, asking me to love you, to forgive you, to come back, and then it not MEAN anything...how? How is that _even_ possible?”

“It doesn’t mean anything because it’s never going to happen. You don’t love me, you can’t forgive me, and you aren’t coming back.”

“What the _hell_ do you think I’m doing here right now?”

“You don’t mean it. It’s what you always do!” he cried in frustration. “You break up with Luka and you come running to me to pick up the pieces, but in a week or a month you’ll be back with Luka again.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. He looked to be trying to decide on what to say next.

“You wanted to know why I’m leaving Paris, right?’ he asked. “Well, the reason is because of you! I can’t keep being your second choice, Marinette. It hurts too much.” His voice cracked on the last word as if to accentuate his pain. At that moment his phone began to ring. He looked at the display and his mouth screwed up in disdain.

“It’s Luka,” he held his phone out to her. “Take it.”

She took the phone from his hand. His eyes lowered in disappointment. He turned away not wishing to see. Marinette looked at the phone still ringing in her hand. She pressed the button to ignore the call.

“Adrien, you’re not my second choice,” she said clearly and firmly. He looked up at her with surprise. She smiled and stepped closer, taking his hand in hers. “You’ve always been my first choice. It’s why I keep coming back to you. I keep trying. I go back to Luka because I thought you didn’t want me. I thought he’s the only one that does. But, it doesn’t work,” she shook her head, “it doesn’t work because I want to be with you.”

At first, her relationship with Luka worked pretty well. She felt wanted and desired. He was sensitive and caring. They spent their time together cuddled on the couch or in bed, listening to music, just enjoying the closeness of being with each other. But then Adrien and Juleka came back from their tour and Luka’s competitive and jealous streaks showed themselves. He competed with both his sister and Adrien over who could write the most successful songs. He pushed his band to outperform theirs in terms of the number of gigs and who could draw the largest crowds.

And he competed with Adrien over Marinette. Luka didn’t understand why Marinette felt compelled to be one of Adrien’s “guardians” after his suicide attempt. It wasn’t her place, he had argued, to keep watch over him. Her place should be with him. Luka became suspicious when she wasn’t with him, thinking she was with Adrien, when more often than not it was her duties as Ladybug that kept her occupied. The worst part was that Luka kept all of his anger, fear, suspicion, and jealousy bottled up inside until he would reach a tipping point over the most innocuous thing. Then, he would blow, spewing months worth of pent-up frustration at her in a tirade that Marinette found herself at a loss to handle. It felt like he was attacking, not just her actions, but her feelings and her very character as well. It left her emotionally stripped bare, doubting everything she had said, done, and felt. All she knew to do was to run. So, that’s what she did. Every time it would happen she would break up with him. The engagement party had been only been a minor fight by comparison to the ones they normally had. Her intense need to be sure of Adrien’s welfare had curtailed the fight before it had really begun. It was just as well. She had no fight left in her when it came to Luka.

Fighting for Adrien, that was a different story. She had only begun to fight. She would not back down this time. She would tell him the truth of how she really felt about him and she would not be afraid of rejection. The only thing that scared her now was missing her opportunity and being left with regret.

“I love you, Adrien.” She looked up at him, hopeful to hear the words repeated back to her. He brushed her cheek with his hand, cupping her chin. He lowered his head, but to her disappointment, he didn’t kiss her but merely rested his forehead on hers.

“I’m sorry, Marinette, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through,” he whispered.

“It’s okay; it doesn’t matter. The important thing is we love each other,” she smiled as she wrapped her arms around him.  

“I’m scared,” he confessed. “I don’t want to be like _him_.”

“Who? Luka?” she asked confused.

“No, my father. I don’t want to end up like my father.”

“You’re nothing like your father!” she cried, placing one hand on his cheek, making him look her in the eyes.

“We’re more alike than you realize,” he shook his head. “We both love...intensely. My father couldn’t deal with the loss of my mother. He couldn’t just mourn her, no, he had to steal a magical pin and terrorize the city. He turned into a villain, stubbornly seeking out his own selfish goals, stopping at nothing to bring her back even at the cost of hurting anyone who got in his way, including me.”

“In his own way, he thought he was doing the right thing,” she squeezed him in her arms. “He thought he was helping you by giving you your mother back.”

“I know, but he hurt me so badly. I never want to hurt anyone like that, especially you,” he caressed her hair. “When I broke up with you I gave you a ton of excuses…”

It was true. At the time Adrien told her that she was hurting her career by being with the son of Hawk Moth. Any association with the _Gabriel_ line or the Agreste family was abhorrent in the months after Gabriel Agreste’s arrest, especially for an aspiring fashion designer. He loathed that her name was being dragged through the mud in the press coverage just by her being associated with him. He also claimed not to know who he was anymore and that he needed to find himself.

“...but the real reason I broke up with you,” he continued, “was that I was afraid that if I lost you, I wouldn’t be able to let you go. I was afraid of what I might do, of who I might become.”

Marinette pulled back to look at him, seeing his sad eyes.

“The only thing I knew to do was to break up with you before that happened,” he continued. “I was trying to protect you. It’s the reason I kept pushing you away when you would come back. But, I couldn’t stop loving you, even though I tried. I tried so hard, Marinette,” he sighed, tightening his embrace on her. “Not that you made it easy. You kept being my friend, and now I know you kept loving me, in spite of everything.”

“Maybe I’m the one with the problem,” she joked, “cuz _I_ can’t let go.” Marinette could count on one hand the most important people in her life: her mother, her father, Alya, Chat Noir, and Adrien. She had lost Chat Noir suddenly without any way of finding him and shortly thereafter she had almost lost Adrien when he attempted suicide. Was it any wonder that she held onto Adrien so tightly? She refused to lose him as well.

“Maybe we should start a support group together,” he chuckled. “Hopeless Romantics Anonymous.”

“Hope _ful_ ,” she corrected. “Hopeful Romantics Anonymous.” She rested her head on his chest and squeezed him.

“Are you certain this is what you want?” he asked quietly. “Are you certain about me?”

“Yes!” she cried, happily. “I love you, Adrien. I want to be with you! We’ll figure things out...together.” She popped up on her toes to kiss him, but he suddenly let go of her and hurried to the piano.

“What are you doing?” she asked confused. This was not the reaction she imagined.

“I have to write a song about it,” he replied as if it was the most normal thing to do at a time like this. He pulled out a fresh page of sheet music.

“Adrien!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll play you this one,” he replied with a smirk, “but only when it’s done.”

“Get over here! I’m not playing second fiddle to a piano!”

“No, you’re my first choice,” he corrected as he rose and took her back in his arms. “My only choice. I love you, Marinette.”

Now, she got the reaction she imagined as their lips finally met and not for the last time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to EpicLilKitty and DhenRia for beta reading for me. 
> 
> The song quoted is "Someone Like You" by Adele Laurie Blue Adkins and Daniel D. Wilson, but I changed "girl" to "boy" and "she" to "he" to make it work for the story, hence the bracketed [boy] and [he].
> 
> slow_and_steady suggested having a Part where I show a Marinette&Chloe friendship reconciliation. Please let me know if you would want to read that. My plan was to do a Part 5 Ladrian conversation/LadyNoir reveal and that be the last part. So if you want a Marinette&Chloe chapter please let me know and also comment from whose perspective you'd like the chapter to be from. Thanks!
> 
> For those of you that love Luka, please understand I'm not trying to malign him, but I want to differentiate him from Adrien. The episode he's featured in shows Luka as not being very talkative, so this is how I imagine him. He goes along quietly until he snaps and it all comes out, cuz you know, artists are temperamental. Also, I want some kind of sibling dynamic between him and Juleka. 
> 
> While writing this I got an idea for another story: "Hopeless Romantics Anonymous" in which Marinette attends a support group to get over crushes on famous people, her's being on Adrien, of course. I imagine Kim would be there as he's crushing on Chloe. Rose would be, too, because of her crush on Prince Ali. I'd love Juleka to attend and just make her have a crush on Clara Nightingale for about 5 minutes before meeting Rose and falling for her. She keeps coming to the meetings to see Rose. (Squeals!). Adrien shows up because he has his crush on Ladybug. (I imagine either Nino telling him to go or even Rena Rouge telling Chat to go, which might work better cuz maybe Alya's the one that gets Marinette to go to the support group.) Hilarity ensues when Adrien shows up and the whole group knows that he is Marinette's crush. They are encouraging her to tell him. She practically faints when she finds out he has a crush on LB. And when he asks her who her celebrity crush is, she panics and says Chat Noir. Ahhh...you know these stories practically write themselves.
> 
> Anyway, one more part to go where we get a Ladrien scene and reveals. Then, my one shot will finally be done. :)


End file.
